Sakeliga launches landmark case against lockdown
16 May 2020
Business group Sakeliga has launched a case that could alter lockdown across all levels. The case involves the unlawfulness of permits and other government licensing requirements for businesses.
Sakeliga is asking the High Court to set aside a range of licensing requirements implemented under the state of disaster, and to protect businesses, non-profits, and employees against unlawful obstruction and arrest.
Piet le Roux, CEO of Sakeliga, says “the public is facing humanitarian, social and economic catastrophe because of government’s unreasonable and unlawful lockdown approach. 19% of businesses polled by Sakeliga expect to be bankrupt within a month. No amount of stimulus can repair this, especially not the kind where government puts ideology above need. The economy must reopen and all lockdown regulations that are not essential for health should be set aside.”
The court is asked to order that government may neither direct organs of state to issue licenses, permits or certificates under the state of disaster, nor require businesses to have them, save for businesses’ self-issued permits. The court is also requested to specifically order that neither the police nor any other enforcement agency may demand a CIPC or other certificate, permit, or license for essential or permitted services and products, except self-issued permits by the head of organisations such as already required.